So Cold
by Kiara Hunt
Summary: What if Cluny was captured by a lone bounty hunter before he ever got to Redwall? ClunyXOC. Slash! Don't like, don't read. Also, AU. Will NOT stick to canon. Please R&R! Rated M just in case.
1. Servants Fail

**Disclaimer: All Redwall characters do not belong to me, they are the property of Brian Jacques :)**

**Chapter 1: Servants Fail**

A silent figure, cloaked cleverly in a dark hooded cape, trudged along a merchant's path in Mossflower. The shadows of the trees were his friends, the bright sun shining through the few and far between gaps in the foliage above his foe. Not that the fox beneath the black cloth expected to go unnoticed. Rather, Flame mused, he relished in the fact that he wouldn't. Rumor had it in one of the numerous local taverns he had visited (probably while he was still a little tipsy from the one before) that Cluny the Scourge was about. The rat leader intrigued him. The bounty on the vermin's head even more so.

Flame's memory stirred, but he suppressed it. If only he had had all that money when his brother was wounded by that brawny squirrel.. But no. He forced the memory into the back of his mind, and instead tried to focus on what he could do with the money NOW. Like, buy a new place. Fine dining. Funny how all those luxuries didn't seem to matter when you saw the light leave your only remaining blood-relative's eyes, even as you begged for the healers to treat him when they knew you could never pay them back. Only a good beer could solve that problem.

Then he remembered. At least part of the money would go to the gypsies. His friends there needed it. How else were they to afford diamond necklaces for their wives? Flame couldn't help a small snort of disgust. Married couples. Yuck.

A patch of sunlight. Flame grimaced, snarling up at the hot sun. The light made his hangover worse. However, at the same time, the sun rejuvenated him. The heat of it's beams gave Flame new strength in his resolve. Yes. He would find this Cluny, and then..

_Ugh... _

Flame's thoughts were cut short as his mind pulsed with pain, and he knew it was one of his times again. The world around him began to blur.

_Must.. Sit.. Down.. _

He limped to the nearest tree, and his back crashed into the rough bark before sinking slowly to the ground. Flame held his throbbing head with one paw, knowing he couldn't avoid the pain that would soon come. He couldn't contain it any longer, the hurt was coming.

Flame frantically grasped at the only other living thing he could find, a flower (refusing to die in the autumn air) that had managed to grow on the edge of the shadows on the forest floor, with his free paw.

An image began to grow, consuming him like a wild forest fire. A male arctic fox, crawling through a blizzard somewhere up North. The fox was wounded, a gash in his side the most predominant cut. A trail of red stretched for hundreds of yards, parts of it almost covered by snow. Still, the fox struggled. The fire ran up and down Flame's limbs, and he felt a sudden pain in his side. Looking down, he found his side had been split open. Blood and guts gushed from the wound. In pain, he squeezed his eyes shut. Abruptly, the pain stopped. The image was gone.

Flame opened his eyes cautiously, not surprised to find the gash gone, nor the dead flower that hung limp in his paw. At least the flower's life force had cushioned the pain. He glanced absently at the newly drained tree. Funny how trees never fully died, just weakened. Sighing and wearied, Flame rose shakily. Sometimes, directly after, he wished he was gifted otherwise (or burdened, which was a far better word to describe such.. Fits). It was just the price he had to pay to see the look of weariness leave their faces. For that, he would take the pain three times over.

He pulled the hood back over his face, a bit gingerly, as his ears were still ringing. He was just in time. Flame could hear the scouts long before he could see them. Something about rats and the way they snapped every twig within a 100 mile radius of them and then some made them easily detected.

Flame resumed his trek, setting himself a brisk pace. Doubts clouded his mind. What if they weren't the right rats? What if Cluny wasn't in Mossflower after all? He HAD been drunk in the tavern, was there not a possibility that he didn't hear that fat old ferret correctly?

While Flame was so preoccupied with these thoughts, three rats leaped from the shadows. Flame barely had enough time to draw his one-handed sword, his pride and joy, before the first rat was within gutting distance. Flame swung, his blade whistling through the air. The sound was so sweet for that brief period of time, the sickening sound of steel slicing through flesh that followed seemed like an impossibility. The fox was brought back to the reality of the situation as his attacker's severed head rolled upon the forest floor and another rat, a brown one this time (unlike the late grey vermin), swung his cutless at Flame's head.

If not for his reflexes, Flame would surely have been dead. However, he ducked just in time, and the cutless met only air. Twisting towards his assailant, Flame's knee connected with the rat's stomach. The rat crumpled, and Flame's blade was in the rat's heart before the vermin hit the ground. About then, Flame spied a tattered piece of fabric, a seaman's hankerchief, peeking out of the rat's right breast pocket. He had heard that Cluny's rats were also pirates.. Besides, there was no reason a simple mugger would carry such a thing so far inland.

Flame gasped in realization. He was fighting Cluny's horde! He was so close!

In one quick movement, Flame sheathed his sword and drew a dagger. He disarmed the third rat with ease, holding the dagger to his throat.

"Who sent you? Why are you attacking me?" he snarled, flashing his teeth menacingly. _Go ahead. Explain. Even though I already know._

"I.. I.. I don't know what you're talking about!" the terrified rat stammered.

"I don't believe you," Flame whispered, grinning like a madbeast. He increased his pressure on the rat's throat, ever so slowly, until the rat began whimpering in pain.

Flame shivered as his gift began to kick in, his carefully constructed touch barriers beginning to give way. He quickly eased up on the rat's neck, the pain fading away.

"I'll tell you," the rat choked out, "Just please, don't kill me!"

"Fine. Tell me what you know."

The rat gulped. "I come from the camp of Cluny the Scourge. He sent me and the others to keep merchants from getting into Redwall, which Chief is busy besieging."

"Where is the camp?"

The rat pointed westwards, speechless. Flame released him, and the vermin dropped to the ground with a _thud._

"I suggest that you NOT go back to camp," Flame sneered, "If you get my drift." The rat's eyes widened. He scampered away as quickly as his paws would carry him, heading East, in the exact opposite direction of Cluny's camp. Supposedly.

_Hmmm. Intriguing. The servant so easily deserts his master.._

Flame turned, his cape billowing backwards in the cold western wind. Confidently, he strode out in the direction of the camp of Cluny the Scourge.


	2. Wanted: Dead or Alive

**Chapter 2: Wanted: Dead or Alive**

The hustle and bustle of a typical horde camp filled Flame's ears. Raucous laughter and the merry sound of whiskey flasks being smashed traveled through the air much akin to dandelion seeds floating through the breeze. A horde seemed like a giant tavern, only wilder somehow.

Flame peeked through a tiny gap in the bushes on the edge of Cluny's camp. Simple white tents littered the clearing. Cluny's residence was easily spotted; the rat chief had obviously reserved the largest tent for himself, placed smack dab in the middle of the camp. A torn flag, a sort of piece of something, hung from a pole beside the entrance of the flimsy structure. The opposing light of the sunset allowed Flame to see the silhouette of a large figure inside the tent, but the details of the mysterious beast were obscured from view.

Again, the boisterous laughter arose. Drunken vermin crowded around a raging bonfire. Most were rats, but Flame could pick out a few ferrets and foxes among the motley crew. The vermin danced, drank, and sang their hearts out (quite loudly and off-key, he might add). For a moment, Flame pondered how to best enter the horde. He was still pondering this when Cluny emerged from his tent.

The Scourge was larger than most rats, he loomed well over the heads of his carefully posted sentries. Flame gasped in astonishment. Perfectly defined muscles rippled under the rat's rough, furry hide. Cluny's tail whipped ominously behind him with every step he took, his fabled barb shining in the dimming light of the sun. By far, the most striking thing about the Scourge was his eyepatch, or rather the way it didn't hinder the vermin icon in the slightest. Cluny's one eye roamed swiftly and easily over his followers, assessing each possible situation.

_So. The tales are true. All of them. And boy, does this searat have a bad reputation.._

Flame thought over his options. How could he safely enter such a camp? His skills with the blade were great, but he didn't think he could take out that many rats all at once, especially not all for the sake of obtaining one.

Shuddering, he remembered how he had learned the art of the sword. He blocked out the flashback. He didn't want to remember.

Flame turned back to the task at hand. A plan had formulated in his mind. Impatiently, he waited for night to fall. And fall it did.

Slowly but steadily, the sounds of wakefullness in the camp began to disintegrate into nothing. It was then that Flame made his move. He stole into the camp, cloaking his face. The freezing night air didn't bother the solitary figure as it snuck through the sleeping camp. He was used to the chill, his very soul being ever so cold.

Flame considered gutting every single vermin, slitting the throats of the guilty in their sleep. It would be the most righteous thing he had ever done. But still Flame's own warped sense of pride and honor held him back. He could not kill an enemy that wasn't ready to face him with a weapon. This golden rule he clung to like death, for it was the only order he had left when it came to blood and war.

He was just outside the rat's tent now. He could see Cluny through the tent flap, hear the shallow rise and fall of his breathing. Thin sheets covered the sleeping rat, and the vermin wore only a simple sleeping tunic and trousers. Cluny shivered in his sleep, letting out a low moan of discomfort. Silently, Flame slipped into the tent, ropes ready, even as he felt a tiny pang of sympathy for the rat. He knew what it was like to sleep in the cold.

He stood there for a minute, watching Cluny sleep. Blissfully unaware of Flame's existance, the rat didn't look nearly so threatening as he had when he appeared in front of his troops. Instead, Cluny seemed so intoxicatingly... Vulnerable. Laying there on his back, fast asleep, Flame felt a surge of power as he realized he could do anything he pleased with the rat. Gutting him seemed like an option, but only for a few brief seconds. Flame remembered his honor.

Flame leaned in closer, drawn in by the smell of his soon-to-be captive. Cluny smelled sort of comforting, like fresh, clean sheets with traces of the aroma of wildflowers. A foreign urge came over Flame, one that made him want desperately to brush his lips against Cluny's, to cover every inch of his body with kisses. He quickly caught himself, jumping back as if he'd just been burned.

_How could he entertain the thought of something so VILE, so WRONG?_

It was impossible. He couldn't possibly want the rat that lay on the bed before him. He'd had girls before, they were nice. Somehow, however, his feelings for them didn't seem very strong at the moment.

Flame shook it off and got to work. Gingerly, he slipped the barb off Cluny's tail, careful not to wake the sleeping vermin. Once he had that out of the way, the true job could begin. First, the gag. At this atrocity, Cluny woke, but his struggles were fruitless. Flame already had hold of his wrists, binding them tightly together. Cluny tried to run, but Flame had anticipated this. He tripped the rat, and Cluny fell to the ground. There was a desperate scramble in the dirt and dust, but Flame eventually succeeded in binding Cluny's feet together.

Flame sighed, standing up to examine his handiwork. Cluny strained as hard as he was able, but the strong ropes and tight knots held. Flame couldn't hold back a small smirk of satisfaction, even as Cluny glared up at him with fear and anger and hatred in his eyes. Flame fought the urge to squirm under the rat leader's steely gaze. He even felt a twinge of guilt for what he was going to have to do. He needed the money, and his client needed Cluny. He shuddered to remember her, the she-rat (more like she-demon) who had told him she wanted Cluny alive.

He shuddered again at what that must have meant. What still meant. He was dragging Cluny to his torturer, and perhaps even certain death. But he dragged him anyways.

Flame forced his face to show no expression, forced his eyes to become cold as he picked Cluny up, cradling him in his arms as gently as he could. Not that it made much of a difference. The rat would still hate him.

Flame quickened his stride, though he knew he had nothing to fear. The horde was asleep. In the back of his mind, Flame knew it wasn't fear that made his heart race; it wasn't fear that caused his body to grow hot anywhere the burden he was carrying brushed up against him (which he noted was in quite a few places, thanks to his grip on the Scourge). Again, he couldn't let himself feel this way! He needed to focus. In a matter of moments, he vanished into the night, holding Cluny the Scourge in his arms as tenderly as he would a loved one. He couldn't help it. He didn't know why. At that point in time, he just did what felt right.


	3. Eyes of the Entertainer

**Chapter 3: Eyes of the Entertainer**

"Mmmph! Mmmrrfff!" Cluny berated him through the gag, one word indistinguishable from the next. Flame had succeeded in getting a couple of good miles between them and the vermin camp. Even though the night was cold, he had broken a light sweat from the exertion of carrying such a large rat through a long distance.

"It will do you no good. I can't understand you, and no one is around to hear you," Flame said sharply. He struggled to keep his expression unfeeling. Cluny mustn't know how disgustingly infatuated he was. As long as he didn't show emotion, Flame figured he could keep things from getting personal. It was simply a business deal he had made. Nothing more.

"Ummph," Cluny grumbled, finally giving up. He no longer struggled in Flame's hold, and now went almost completely limp. Exhausted, the rat closed his eyes.

Flame looked down on Cluny a moment. The rat was helpless, his paws were tied. Flame's eyes softened, but only for a millisecond. Stifling a yawn, he realized he was tired as well. He began to look around for a place to stop for the night.

In the distance, three small fires were lit. Flame saw the outline of a caravan and stopped dead in his tracks. This abrupt halt startled Cluny into opening his eye.

Flame rushed toward the fires, hoping that these gypsies were of the friendly kind that he was fond of consorting with. As he drew closer, he recognized a few familiar caravans. The smell of food drifted through the air, and good-natured laughter rang out into the night. Flame felt right at home.

He knocked on the door of the large, hand-painted caravan that he knew so well. Black, with a large, red-irised eye painted on one side.

The door was opened slowly. A large white wolf, featuring unique black markings around his eyes, stared out into the night with sharp grey eyes.

"Who dares bang on my door in the middle of the freakin' night while I'm trying to- Oh! Flame!" Flame's old friend exclaimed, smiling widely. His smile quickly faded when he noticed the fox had brought company. "Oh, brother. What have you gotten yourself into now?"

"Nice to see you too, Chenook."

"Explain the prisoner."

Flame glanced down at Cluny. His captive had fallen asleep in his arms. Even in his present situation, Cluny's face looked relaxed and his breathing was steady as he slept. Flame looked upon the rat in wonderment for a moment more before coming back to his senses. Shaking himself, he struggled to answer Chenook's question.

"Well, I got tired of not doing anything, so I decided to try bounty hunting. Can I stay with you for a few nights, brother? I have come a long way."

"I suppose," Chenook growled. "But I can't take you every night. Jet lives next door, we'll switch off."

Flame nodded, an amused glint in his eye.

"Chenook, baby, what's going on out here?" A female voice said softly but roughly. A female white wolf appeared in the doorway. She was of slender build, but she obviously had some muscle. Chenook would never be caught dead with a girly girl, Flame knew that much.

"Lykopis, this is Flame, one of my old friends from my army days," Chenook quickly explained, taking the she-wolf's paw and kissing it lovingly. She smiled at him, then quickly looked Flame over. Her gaze widened in shock when she observed the rat in Flame's arms.

"He's decided he's a bounty hunter now," Chenook explained again, before Lykopis could even ask. "Is it alright if he rests here for a couple of nights, sweetheart?"

"In a row?" Lykopis asked, frowning slightly in disappointment.

"Of course not. He'll be staying with Jet some too."

"I would be most grateful," Flame growled humbly, briefly glancing at his feet before meeting Lykopis's eyes as a sign of respect for Chenook and what was obviously his property.

"We would be honored to have you," Lykopis said with apparent respect, smiling warmly. "Chenook has told me so much about you."

Flame shot Chenook a look. The big wolf shrugged, as if to say, "What can you do? I'm a male, I'm weak."

"Thank you for your kindness, Lykopis," Flame said, bowing slightly. He suppressed a gasp as Cluny seemed to snuggle against him. He quickly straightened.

Chenook cleared his throat. "Ahem. Would you mind me asking where we would keep your..?" Chenook shifted from foot to foot nervously, trying to find the right word.

"You won't have to worry about my.. Er.. Charge. I will take care of him."

"Alright. It's settled then. Come inside, Flame, and I'll show you to the extra bedroom," Lykopis broke in.

Flame followed Lykopis inside. He could feel Chenook's eyes burning into his back, a little threateningly. He didn't blame Chenook, he knew the wolf was just trying to prevent any chance that Flame would try anything. Sometimes, Flame just couldn't help things. He knew if he wanted to, he could convince even the most faithful of wives to leave their husbands. Chenook knew that well.

Flame kept his eyes on the back of the she-wolf's head, not daring to glance any lower. Chenook grunted in gruff approval behind him.

The caravan itself was larger on the inside than it had initially looked. Flame was first led through a small sitting area, big enough for just a few guests. An oven and a teapot took their place in one corner. Two doors occupied the far wall of the caravan. Lykopis opened the door on the right, revealing a small bed, dresser, and study desk set-up. As far as decorations went, the room was pretty standard, though nevertheless appealing.

"You can rest here," Lykopis told him, gesturing towards the bed. "Will you be of need of anything else?"

"No thank you. This is quite enough. I apologize that I wasn't able to alert you of my coming."

"That's alright. We like company, don't we dear?"

"Uh huh," Chenook said slowly. Though his voice sounded mildly frustrated, he couldn't keep the laughter out of his eyes.

"Well, Flame, we'll be in the next room over, if you need anything!" Lykopis reminded him cheerfully. As she walked out the door, Chenook shot him a pleading glance.

"Please, please, please don't need anything," he whispered, smiling goofily as he turned on his heel and followed his wife, closing the door behind him.

Flame sighed, gently letting Cluny down on the soft covers of the bed and lighting a nearby lamp. He regarded the Scourge in the soft glow of the firelight. The rat was still tied, and his wrists and ankles were raw and bleeding from struggling against the ropes. Flame once again felt a tenderness in his heart. He felt terrible, like he had committed some sort of crime. He was pretty sure he hadn't. Wasn't capturing one of the most wanted vermin around a good thing?

Again, Flame examined Cluny's rope burns. He winced, and felt a twinge of guilt in his gut. Why had he caused this beautiful creature so much pain?

_What could he possibly do? Chenook was sure to lock the door from the outside, I know that. No one would help him escape here, either. What's the use of keeping him tied? _

Careful not to wake Cluny, Flame removed the gag from the rat's mouth and undid his bonds. He picked up the rat, holding him in his arms for a moment, breathing Cluny in and pushing his touch barriers down just enough so that he could take away the pain of the rat's burns. He would have to see Jet about those. Flame tucked Cluny in under the covers of the bed, and made sure a pillow was fluffed behind his head before he laid him down.

For the second time, the realization hit Flame that he could do absolutely anything he wanted to Cluny. He resisted the urge to lie beside the rat. The thought alone was maddening enough. Instead, Flame contented himself with leaning down, barely brushing his lips against the Scourge's forehead. Flame closed his eyes, softly breathing Cluny in. He remained in that position as long as he could without completely losing his self-control. Flame slowly opened his eyes, then leaped backwards so fast he almost toppled the desk over.

Cluny's one eye was wide open, his mouth slightly agape in shock.

Flame's pulse roared in his ears. Surely the rat hadn't been awake.. But Cluny's face suggested otherwise. It was all Flame could do to keep from blushing. After a brief and awkward silence, he summoned the courage to speak.

"H- How long were you awake?" Flame stammered.

"Since I was untied," Cluny answered, clearly shaken.

_Oh, crap._

"Oh," Flame finished lamely. So Cluny knew.

Cluny simply looked at him. Was that longing that Flame saw in his gaze? Or simply surprise and hatred?

"Well. You should go to sleep. No one will rescue you, the door is locked from the outside. I'm sleeping on the floor. If you try to kill me, you will be sorry," Flame barked curtly, frantically trying to erase the humiliation from his features. Gradually, he got himself under control.

"Wait," Cluny said quickly. Almost too quickly.

Flame raised his eyebrows. He wasn't able to respond verbally yet, since the mere thought that Cluny may want him too took his breath away.

"Tell me why," the rat demanded.

"I don't know," Flame replied breathlessly, even though he did know why. There were so many other things he wanted to say, but his pride wouldn't allow him to utter a single word.

Flame turned his back on Cluny and walked away. It amused him how a few steps could be so agonizing an ordeal. After all he's been through, too. He didn't even bother to see if Cluny was obeying him as he curled up on the floor, one paw on the hilt of his sword.

He could deny it no longer. He definitely had feelings for Cluny. Feelings against his will and better judgement, but feelings nevertheless.


	4. Cluny's POV too tedious to mix 'em

**Chapter 4: Cluny's POV**

** *****_Note: Cluny's POV dates back to the beginning of previous chapter. _

"Untie me and fight, you coward!" Cluny yelled against the gag, but it was to no avail. His words only came out as a frantic, "Mmmph! Mmmrrfff!" He glared up at the fox who had had the nerve to capture him during the night, struggling against the ropes that tied him. He couldn't distinguish his captor's features very well because of a black hood that did a very good job of hiding the fox's face, but he could see that his unknown captor had the markings of a standard red and white male fox. Glowing red eyes peered at him from within the darkness of the cape.

"It will do you no good. I can't understand you, and no one is around to hear you," the fox snapped sharply. Neither the fox's voice nor his features allowed Cluny to pick up any sort of emotion at all. Cluny might has well have been glaring at a tree stump.

"Ummph," Cluny grumbled through his gag, going limp in his captor's arms. It was best not to struggle for now; he needed to save up his strength so that he could run later. The fox would have to untie him eventually. Cluny closed his eyes, pretending to sleep.

The fox walked on for several more paces. Cluny thought for a moment he felt the fox's iron grip soften, but just as soon it was back again as the fox stopped short on the road.

Cluny opened his eye to see what the fox was staring at. A few fires were lit in the distance, but Cluny couldn't make out anything more. Some sort of camp. Was the fox taking him to some long-lost enemies of his? Would he kill him there?

Abruptly, the fox set off again, this time at a much quicker pace. Cluny closed his eye again. If they killed him, he could die in his sleep.

Firelight danced across Cluny's closed eyelid as the fox carried him into camp. The mouth-watering smell of food drifted to Cluny's nostrils, but he dared not look around. His captor seemed to swerve to the right, as if spotting something he found interesting. Within a few paces, the fox stopped and Cluny heard a loud, confident knocking sound. Not soon after, a foreign male voice cut through the night air.

"Who dares bang on my door in the middle of the freakin' night while I'm trying to- Oh! Flame!" A pause. "Oh, brother. What have you gotten yourself into now?"

"Nice to see you too, Chenook," his captor, who was apparently called Flame, answered the other male, whose name was Chenook.

"Explain the prisoner," Chenook said dryly, but none too worried about Cluny's well-being. Did Flame bring home prisoners all the time? Was this normal? Somehow, Cluny didn't believe so. Again, Flame's arms softened slightly, and Cluny could feel the fox's eyes on him.

"Well, I got tired of not doing anything, so I decided to try bounty hunting. Can I stay with you for a few nights, brother? I have come a long way," Flame finally replied, after what had seemed like a decade of the fox staring at Cluny. It was almost enough to make Cluny squirm. Strangely, though, Cluny was disgusted to find that he didn't mind being looked over by his confident captor. He couldn't admit it to himself, but he kind of liked it. The same way he liked the way the fox carried him so carefully. Tightly, but carefully. From being pressed up against Flame for most of the night, Cluny couldn't help but notice how strong and muscled the fox seemed to be..

"I suppose," Chenook growled. "But I can't take you every night. Jet lives next door, we'll switch off."

Cluny was shocked. Surely this.. Chenook didn't think that Flame bringing prisoners to his house was normal! Wouldn't he DO something?

Cluny felt a few of Flame's muscles flex as the fox nodded, and he was lost in the warmth and hardness of his captor again. He hated how the fox got under his skin without even realizing it. He hated the way his body refused to obey him, pressing up against Flame as much as it could. But at the same time, he felt better than he ever had before. He felt almost as if the very fox who had captured him was also the only one who would protect him. Cluny quickly pushed the thought away. It just wasn't possible.

"Chenook, baby, what's going on out here?" a soft but rough female voice demanded.

"Lykopis, this is Flame, one of my old friends from my army days," Chenook was quick to explain.

A pause.

"He's decided he's a bounty hunter now," Chenook explained again, before Lykopis could even ask. "Is it alright if he rests here for a couple of nights, sweetheart?"

Lykopis complained a little, but eventually conceded. The conversation that followed was a bit too domestic for Cluny's liking. He zoned out, lulled into a deep sense of security from the scent of the fox around him. What was that smell? Cluny chewed over the thought a little longer, inhaling deeply. He realized what he was doing about the same time he realized what the smell was. He flinched in shock, hoping Flame wouldn't notice. The fox barely moved, so he apparently hadn't.

Cluny couldn't believe he had been inhaling Flame's scent in that way.. The scent itself wasn't that bad. Flame was shrouded in the slightly musky smell of mist and wet grass. But deliberately SMELLING him. The thought was so replusive Cluny pushed it to the back of his mind, where a cluster of similar thoughts about Flame was getting larger by the minute.

"Thank you for your kindness, Lykopis," Flame said warmly, bowing slightly. This manuever forced the fox to lean into Cluny even more than Cluny was already leaning into him, and Cluny had to clamp his jaws shut before a gasp of pure ectasy escaped his lips. Flame's chest was pressed hard against his own for only a millisecond, the fox straightening hurriedly as Cluny mourned the loss of physical contact. A swarm of thoughts, some none too nice, streamed through his brain at once. Flame himself seemed to be ravaging his mind, cackling cruelly but seductively at the same time. Cluny dared to sneak a peek up at the fox's face. No emotion. Cluny's heart fell.

Chenook cleared his throat. "Ahem. Would you mind me asking where we would keep your..?" He struggled to find the right wording. After a moment of awkward silence, Flame assisted him.

"You won't have to worry about my.. Er.. Charge. I will take care of him."

"Alright. It's settled then. Come inside, Flame, and I'll show you to the extra bedroom," Lykopis broke in.

Cluny's entire body was tingling as Lykopis lead them inside. Flame would take care of him.. That could mean two completely different things. One, Cluny was completely fine with. The other, he wasn't quite so sure.

"You can rest here," Lykopis told Flame. "Will you be of need of anything else?"

"No thank you. This is quite enough. I apologize that I wasn't able to alert you of my coming," Flame responded, sincerely apologetic.

"That's alright. We like company, don't we dear?"

"Uh huh," Chenook said slowly. Though his voice sounded mildly frustrated, Cluny suspected he really wasn't angry with Flame at all.

"Well, Flame, we'll be in the next room over, if you need anything!" Lykopis reminded Flame cheerfully. One set of paws walked briskly from the room.

"Please, please, please don't need anything," Chenook whispered, pleading as he turned on his heel and followed Lykopis out, closing the door behind him.

Flame sighed heavily, placing Cluny on a soft bed with care. For a few minutes that seemed to take hours, Flame studied Cluny, taking his overall appearance. It was all Cluny could do not to open his eyes, to catch the expression on the fox's face that would tell him once and for all whether or not Flame liked what he saw. Perhaps then they could stop this madness.

Cluny inhaled sharply as he felt the light touch of Flame's paws around him, removing his restraints gingerly. His handsome captor picked him up, just holding Cluny in his arms for a minute. Cluny must have been hallucinating, because he was sure that he felt Flame take a deep breath, taking in Cluny's scent. Surprisingly, he felt the pain of his rope burns seem to fade away. This only lasted for a moment before Flame again laid Cluny down on the bed, tucking him in under the covers as he would his own child.

A few moments passed, and Cluny wondered if he should open his eyes. Perhaps the fox had gone to bed? However, Cluny hadn't heard any footsteps. The thought that Flame was still standing there, watching him sleep and deciding what to do with him next caused Cluny's heart rate to speed up. Flame could do absolutely anything he wanted to him.

Suddenly, Cluny felt something soft brush against his forehead. Something that felt suspiciously like Flame. He would know; he'd been pressed up against the fox for the past few hours.

Cluny couldn't resist the urge anymore. He opened his eyes, and what he saw nearly made him faint. Flame's face was inches away from his own. The fox's eyes were closed, and he seemed to be breathing Cluny in after withdrawing from the kiss. The KISS.

_Oh.. _

Cluny's emotions ran together in a mix of surprise, repulsion and arousal. He wanted to push Flame away, but he wanted to draw him closer too. Most of all, he wanted to get back to his old life, before things had gotten so complicated.

Flame opened his eyes and immediately leaped away. Cluny felt hurt. He wished that Flame would kiss him again. The fox before him was obviously shocked and humiliated, blushing red before quickly composing himself. Cluny wanted to scream at Flame to knock it off and get back on his bed, pronto. He couldn't say the words, though. He had too much pride.

"H- How long were you awake?" Flame stammered.

"Since I was untied," Cluny lied, his voice shaking slightly. Why did Flame, of all beasts, do this to him? Lying should come easily.

"Oh," Flame said, his face unreadable. "Well. You should go to sleep. No one will rescue you, the door is locked from the outside. I'm sleeping on the floor. If you try to kill me, you will be sorry." At this point, Cluny realized there was only one bed. Flame was letting him have it?

"Wait," Cluny said a little too quickly. Flame simply raised an eyebrow. Cluny couldn't tell if it was from annoyance or from the lack of ability to speak.

"Tell me why," Cluny demanded of the fox, holding his breath as he awaited Flame's answer.

"I don't know," Flame barely whispered, turning as he did so. The fox slowly walked a good distance away from Cluny, sinking to the floor and curling up in a ball, one paw on the hilt of his sword.

Internally, Cluny debated killing Flame in his sleep, but the threat of the sword was all too real. Flame would definitely slit Cluny's throat in a second if he tried anything, no matter what had just happened between them. Besides that, Cluny wasn't sure if he possessed the strength to slay Flame by this point. He was in far too deep for that. Tentatively, Cluny settled down in bed and drifted off to sleep.


	5. The Heart of Pain

**Chapter 5: The Heart of Pain **

Flame made sure he woke up well before Cluny. His sore muscles protested as he rose stiffly, stifling a yawn. Why had he slept on the floor? At least the caravan was still pleasantly warm, as Lykopis had been sure to keep a raging fire going.

Flame's gaze roamed over the simple room, immediately narrowing in on the large lump that occupied the only bed. Flame blinked, his pride smarting. He remembered now.

Steathily, Flame crept closer to the bed. He was determined to make that rat his, once and for all. With each passing second, he wondered more and more about what the heck he was getting himself into..

A soft knock his door caused Flame to nearly jump out of his skin. He turned, straightening swiftly but casually. Lykopis swung the door open, not waiting for an answer. In her paws the she-wolf carried a large platter, filled with biscuits and tons of coffee.

"Goodmorning!" she chirped, waving her appetizing entree` under Flame's nose. Flame's mouth watered as he caught wind of the steam coming off the biscuits. "Thought you might like some breakfast, yes? Oh, and Chenook said you had better go and let Jet know you're here."

"Will do," Flame said roughly, already reaching for a delightfully buttery biscuit. "Thank you, I do appreciate it."

Lykopis nodded, scanning the room for a moment. Her eyes locked on Cluny laying on the bed, causing her to raise an eyebrow. Flame shrugged. She winked at him wickedly, making smooching noises before retreating into the main room. Rolling his eyes, Flame dug into his breakfast, ravenous. He didn't worry too much about her implications, instead honing in on the fact that he hadn't eaten like this since the last time he had entered a gypsy camp.

Flame left a cup of coffee and several biscuits for Cluny. His hunger was not quite sated, but Cluny would no doubt be hungry, and it would have to do. Fleetingly, Flame speculated as to why he cared. Sitting on the edge of the bed opposite Cluny, Flame contemplated his situation. Cluny still wore only a thin tunic and trousers. If he went out in those again, he would freeze. Flame reached for his pack, which he had left abandoned on the floor the night before. He pulled out a simple white v-neck shirt (long-sleeved for extra warmth) and his only pair of non-ripped blue jeans. Laying them out on the bed, he re-examined Cluny, making sure the clothes would fit. Cluny's hips were barely narrow enough for Flame's jeans, even though they would be a tight fit. Flame smirked, imagining the scene.

Laughing silently, Flame looked up, catching a glimpse of himself in the mirror. He was still wearing ninja's black, an incredibly boring look in a gypsy camp but useful for last night's mission. Flame grunted, intent on changing. Off went the shirt and pants, landing in a heap in a corner of the room.

Flame felt strangely vulnerable, standing naked in a room with Cluny _right there._ He shook off the feeling, telling himself that Cluny was asleep. He couldn't see him. With shaking fingers, Flame pulled on a pair of ripped darkwash jeans, stuffing his old clothes back into his sack to wash later. No shirt would be needed; Flame was sure the gypsies would have tons of work for him to help with. He shuddered at the thought. He would be forced to use his gift, yet again.

Again, Flame turned to look himself over in the mirror. His hair had a slightly ruffled, just-been-shagged look to it that suited him well. His full-length tattoo on his right arm was fully exposed, and the burning red crystal that hung from a leather strap around his neck as a sign of his gift glinted in the dim light. Sighing, Flame took a piece of parchment and scrawled out a short note to Cluny:

_ Cluny, _

_ Breakfast on dresser. Clothes on bed. Don't try to run. We will catch you. Chenook or Lykopis will lead you to me when you are ready. Or you could just stay here. That would be okay too. _

_ Flame _

Flame placed the note on the dresser, swiftly leaving the room. Yeah, the note itself was pretty lame, but he really couldn't think of anything else to say. I want you? Absolutely not! After closing the door softly behind him, Flame finally allowed himself to yawn. He strode through the main room, making eye contact with both Chenook and Lykopis, who both nodded slightly. Even wolves had great respect for the Pain Keeper.

...About 4 Hours Later...

Flame squinted in the bright sunlight, even though a tent had been erected to help shade him. A line of hopeful creatures had formed outside his tent, all hoping for relief. It didn't matter that Flame's form still writhed from his last burden, he couldn't bring himself to say no to them. Normally, he would just go on until he passed out, then wake up and start again. Two gypsy guards stood outside the tent, and two just inside the tent flap. Stupid safety measures.

The next beast in line limped inside, sending yet another wave of chilly fall air through the tent. Flame shivered. An old and crippled ratmaid. Flame could practically feel her need to release her suffering from where he sat.

She eyed his leg (which was still twitching slightly) nervously. A look of pity crossed her face. Flame imagined it was the same look he wore. To put her mind at ease, Flame smiled reasuringly, patting the seat in front of him. Slowly and carefully, the old ratmaid sat down.

"Name and ailment?" Flame asked warmly, pulling out his notepad. He had to flip through it since the first five pages were already full.

"Greypatch... And, um.. Unhealing broken leg with torn muscle," Greypatch whimpered, hesitating. Flame scratched down her ailment next to her name on his notepad, then carefully set it aside.

"Have you ever been helped by a Pain Keeper before?"

"No. I was just told you could make the hurt go away."

"Yes, we can. Your ailment itself will not heal, but you will be unable to feel the pain of it any longer," Flame told her carefully. He leaned forward in his seat, locking his eyes on hers. "Now, listen to me. If you are squeamish, you may want to close your eyes. I will experience every ounce of pain you have ever felt in your lifetime for you. It will all be erased. You will be able to see MY leg be broken, but do not worry about me. Whatever happens, I will be fine. Got it?"

Greypatch nodded, eyes widening.

"Take my paw," Flame told her, pushing down his touch barriers. He felt another paw lightly touch his own. He squeezed his eyes shut.

Flame shuddered as familiar childhood scrapes and cuts formed along his arms and legs. This pain was usually the same for everybeast. Falling over a log and scraping a knee, cutting a finger with a kitchen knife. These were nothing to him. He winced through it, anticipating the bigger injuries.

"Master Flame, are you alright?" One of the gypsy guards barked as more cuts laced their way up Flame's arms.

"Yes," Flame snapped angrily at the disturbance. As if he didn't have enough to worry about. "Please, show Greypatch out."

As the ratmaid was shown out of the room, a sharp stab of pain burned in Flame's leg. He knew then that it had snapped. Tentatively, he reached downward, feeling his own lifeblood spilling from the wound. A strange numbness had entered his limb by this time. Flame opened his eyes, taking in his newly infected leg. Tattered skin and muscle hung in strips around the break. He blinked, and the pain left him. His leg slowly straightened, his body healing. Flame took a deep breath, steadying himself. He was done for now.

"You," he growled, pointing a claw at one of the two stoat guards inside the tent. "Tell them outside that I am taking a short break. I will be able to finish the rest of their cases within the next few hours."

The stoat nodded, peeling back the tent flap and whispering to the guards outside, who announced Flame's declaration loudly to the public.

Flame sighed as he heard several groans from outside the tent. Rubbing his temples, he felt guilty for allowing the gypsies to remain in their suffering for any longer. Despite his guilt, he knew his body couldn't take it. He had given every ounce of strength he had to those beasts, yet they still asked him for more.

Flashes of anger and spite entered Flame's mind, but they vanished as soon as they had appeared. He was simply too tired to be angry with the world at the moment.

Voices began to rise outside the tent. Flame stiffened, the sounds of a scuffle growing louder in his ears. He rarely had to worry about being swarmed by the old and ailing, but he did recall a few times when he had had to run for his life. If they all came upon him at once, he had no clue what would happen. The beginnings of fear began to stir in his bones, every muscle in Flame's body tensed.

A guard went flying through the tent flap, screaming until he smashed into a table. Great. One out of his four guards rendered unconscious. Flame was about to make a break for it when a slightly ruffled and very irritated looking Chenook pushed his way through the tent flap, huffing as he went.

"Those blokes wouldn't let me in here, said you were taking a break," Chenook roared, though the gesture was intended more for the petrified guards than for Flame himself. Flame laughed half-heartedly as the voices outside died down. His laughter abruptly ceased when he saw Chenook yank on a rope he was holding, sending Cluny flying through the tent flap. The rat landed unceremoniously on the floor.

"What the hell? Chenook, you could have hurt him!" Flame snarled at his best friend, quickly rushing to Cluny's side. He untied the rat's bonds, revealing the bleeding rope burns underneath. Cluny groaned, rolling over onto his back. He stared up at Flame calmly, waiting.

Flame stared back, careful to keep his face expressionless. Cluny's muscled body looked magnificent in Flame's clothes. Those jeans fit him very well, if a trifle tightly. Flame smirked his approval, though the rat would obviously have no idea what he was smirking over. His stomach twisted violently as Flame imagined how silly he must look. Again, he wiped his face clean of all expression.

"Flame, are you even listening to me..?" Chenook's enraged voice startled Flame from his thoughts. Flame blinked, slightly confused. Chenook had been speaking to him? He glanced back down at Cluny, who was busy smirking for all he was worth. Which was quite a bit, considering the bounty.

"No, what did you say?" Flame asked, straightening and trying his best to look as bored as possible.

"I _said_, why the heck is a little shrimp like that important to you, Flame? You let him wander into MY living room, untied, wearing your CLOTHES, asking if I could take him to see you. What were you thinking?"

"Hey, where was the small fry gonna run off to? I know you, Chenook, and I've seen your capabilities. Cluny wouldn't have been much of a match for you or Lykopis. As for the clothes, they are merely to keep him from catching cold and dying before I get my money! It does get rather chilly this time of year. And he isn't important to me."

Flame kept both his voice and facial expression strictly emotionless, occasionally glaring at one of the guards. He refused to look at Cluny. No, he could never have a relationship with the rat. Impossible. What HAD he been thinking?

Even as Flame steeled himself against Cluny's gaze, he felt the rat's gaze on him. Searching, questioning.. Pleading?

"Makes sense," Chenook nodded grudgingly. "Just try to alert us next time you allow the little maggot to run around loose and all."

"Will do," Flame said coolly, smiling slightly as he held the flap for Chenook to exit. The big wolf rarely thought much before he acted. Flame should have expected this.

"You two," Flame growled, addressing the guards. "Kindly take your fellow their over to the caravan of Blake and whoever else he's sleeping with at the moment. He can heal him." Flame chuckled inwardly as he recalled the youth, the only slutty healer Jet had ever trained.

The two guards obeyed hastily, scampering away from the tent as fast as they could. Only then did Flame turn to Cluny. The rat wore the remnants of hurt plain on his face, though he was obviously fighting for control of his expression. Cluny's jaw was clenched, his gaze defiant.

"Sit," Flame commanded, again taking up his own seat. Arrogantly, Cluny shook his head from side to side.

Flame sighed. He should have known this would be difficult, especially after what he had just done. He had guessed the rat had some feelings for him, despite Flame capturing him and dragging him away from his life. For the life of him, the fox couldn't understand why.

"Please?" Flame asked, plastering on his best apologetic look. Slowly, Cluny made his way towards Flame and lowered himself into the chair.

"Now, let me see those burns," Flame murmered, gently taking one of Cluny's paws in his own to better examine the cuts. Cluny flinched slightly, but allowed Flame to take his paw. Flame winced as he felt a white hot pain radiate from the deep ruts in Cluny's wrists.

Ever so slightly, Flame forced his barriers down, drawing in a quick breath as his own wrists burned. Cluny gasped as his pain melted away, then again as burns identical to his own formed on Flame's wrists. Flame shuddered as he felt a strange link form between him and Cluny, one that he formed only occasionally with those who benefited from his gift. The bond seemed to pulse with emotion and power as Flame glimpsed the workings of Cluny's mind. He felt the deep sense of hurt and surprise that the rat was now struggling with, and something else.. Something alien to him. He sighed with relief as the pain faded away, along with the link, into the back of his mind.

Flame glanced up at Cluny, who was looking at him suspiciously. Flame was speechless. The link had been so _strong_. He couldn't figure out why. He opened his mouth, then closing it when he found the words wouldn't come out.

"W-Who are you?" Cluny accused, glaring at him. "Why are you manipulating my mind? What do you want from me?"

Flame sighed softly, already regretting ever laying eyes on that bounty. "I am a Pain Keeper. And I just helped you out," Flame growled. However, he failed to work up the heart to be genuinely threatening.

"Those don't exist. Or, maybe they did long ago, but not anymore! Stop lying," Cluny babbled, wide-eyed.

"I'm not lying to you."

"Yes, you are. You're some crazy magician who wants to mess with my brain, make me fall in love with you. You're sick and twisted," Cluny spat, trying to pull his paw out of Flame's grip. Flame flinched, but refused to let go of the rat.

"Make you fall in love with me?" Flame asked, incredulous. "You're in love with.._me_?"

The last word came out as a mere squeak. Flame couldn't believe his ears. He suddenly realized exactly why the link had been so strong.

Flame must have looked believably shell-shocked, because Cluny immediately ceased struggling. The rat's mouth dropped open, and Cluny blushed crimson in a way Flame found most delightful.

Before he could control himself, Flame had flung himself on Cluny, kissing him passionately, his arms around the rat's waist. The link seemed to take on a life of its own as Cluny dug his fingers into Flame's crimson pelt, pressing the fox's body even closer to his own. Flame's tongue flicked across Cluny's lips, asking for entrance. Cluny immediately opened his mouth wider to accomodate him. Their bond surged with power and emotion as their tongues danced, until eventually the need for air drove them apart.

Cluny closed his eyes, panting as Flame planted dozens of small kisses down his jaw and neck. The fox soon found a suitable spot on Cluny's neck and bit down hard, claiming the rat as his own. He felt more powerful than he ever had before. Cluny was completely at his mercy, and Flame wished for nothing more than a larger window before he had to go back to his duties. As it were, he did have business to take care of.

"Flame," Cluny breathed as the fox withdrew, trying to hold on to Flame but feeling too weak to do so effectively. Flame still held one of Cluny's paws in his two. Courteously, he raised it to his lips, barely brushing them against the rat's skin and delighting in Cluny's shiver of pleasure. From a mere kiss!

"My dear, you realize you can't tell anyone what just happened, don't you?" Flame smirked, though he rubbed Cluny's paw lovingly.

"Yes," Cluny sighed in obvious ectasy, tilting his head back slightly, his eyes still closed. "Anything you want."

"Right," Flame sneered, though light-heartedly. He could sense his feelings, mainly the ones of dominance and lust, spiraling out of control. He desperately held on to the few coherent thoughts he was still capable of forming, hoping they would help him get a grip before he did something stupid. Oh, wait. He already had.

Slowly, with a great deal of inward protest, Flame placed Cluny's paw back on the rat's lap. He gave Cluny a few friendly pats on the knee before completely withdrawing himself from the rat. He couldn't allow such a relationship to form. It was too dangerous. There was a reason there was a bounty on Cluny's head. Someone important wanted him dead. That she-rat.. Flame couldn't afford to mess with that. He would do well to turn the rat in, take his prize and leave as soon as possible. Yet.. He found he just couldn't bring himself to do that. He would never forgive himself if he turned Cluny in. He couldn't live without him. He didn't care if the relationship went public, either. The gypsies could deal with it.

Despite this, Flame wasn't a dimwit. He would need a killer strategy before he messed with the powers that be. He had only been interested in Cluny's bounty because it was so ridiculously high. Anybeast with that kind of money had to have gained it by dishonest means. Plus, Flame was still confused about what was going on between him and Cluny himself.. But that was a topic for later.

Only how to devise such a strategy..? Flame pondered this for only a moment before the answer struck him. _Jet_! Jet would help him! Who else would he possibly ask but the slyest cheater alive?

"Cluny," he said, still not quite believing the words that were coming out of his mouth. They would probably be the end of him. "I have decided something. From this moment forward, you will no longer be my prisoner. If you want to.." Flame gulped. "You could leave. But if you wanted to stay, I was hoping you would.. That you would be m-my.."

"I'll stay with you," Cluny said quickly, leaning in to kiss Flame reassuringly. Flame moaned into Cluny, his childish nervousness evaporating. Of course, Cluny had accepted him. He'd never been rejected before, why start now?

"Thank you," Flame breathed into Cluny's ear. "Now, follow me."


	6. This Is War

**Chapter 6: This Is War **

The pair walked silently to Jet's caravan, Flame's arm wrapped protectively around Cluny's waist. A few gypsies stopped and gawked at the sight; however, most of them glared spitefully. It rarely mattered which species one belonged to or in which respective gender one was placed, nobeast was immune to Flame's powers of seduction. Flame could feel Cluny picking up the animosity, and a twinge of jealousy escaped into their link. Flame gave Cluny a playful squeeze to ease the rat's mind, smiling at him shyly. Cluny grinned back in pure bliss, and all worry dissolved from his expression.

It wasn't difficult to find Jet's caravan. Besides being painted a bright blue, a screaming vixen stomped out upon Flame and Cluny's arrival, swearing like a sailor. Even Cluny winced at her language. He glanced at Flame questioningly.

"I guess he's single again," Flame whispered, shrugging. He knocked on the brightly painted door, which was soon opened by a very rough-looking Jet.

"I knew you would come ba... Oh. It's you," the blond-haired fox drawled, looking very much like a typical bachelor (and also looking very stoned). Flame didn't fall for it. Jet was as alert as he was.

"Nice to see you too," Flame muttered, sarcasm dripping from his voice. He pushed past Jet and entered the messy caravan, cold blue eyes following his every move. A few expensive looking vases broken, but other than that the vixen hadn't done as much damage as Flame had expected.

"Alright. Who's the hot guy?" Jet drooled, practically dragging Cluny by his paws into the caravan. "Can I keep him?"

"NO!" Flame snarled, pulling Cluny away from his friend. He held the rat to his chest, growling lowly as a terrified Cluny shook in his arms.

"Whoa, I didn't know you were bi!" Jet exclaimed, his mouth gaping in shock. "Geez, no need to show your teeth there, buddy. I probably couldn't pry him off of you if I tried."

Jet smirked, seating himself on a lounge chair after clearing away a few female garments, which were dumped unceremoniously on the floor. Flame snarled again, but sat down, refusing to release Cluny so the rat was forced to sit on his lap. Jet raised an eyebrow, but refrained from any snide remarks.

"So," Jet purred, "What brings the great Warrior and Pain Keeper to my humble abode?"

"Well, I sure didn't come here to be antagonized by you. And, as you know, I'm not even a Warrior anymore."

"Once a Warrior, always a Warrior. I know you aren't out of the mentality yet, neither am I. Nor Chenook. Sometimes I catch him doing background patrols around the camp at 2 o`clock in the morning. Right before I set out on mine," Jet laughed, relieving some tension in the room. Flame chuckled with him, though he knew in his gut what Jet had said was true. He remembered how easily he could transition back into killing mode.. The Warrior spirit had never quite left him. Flame took a deep breath, sobered up by the thought.

"Jet, I really came here because I need your help with a little.. Uh, _problem_ of mine."

"Uh oh."

"Yeah. It involves higher-ups. Conspiracy circles. Real powerful stuff. Now, I know you keep track of them, don't pretend like you don't!"

"Flame, this is serious stuff. I don't know if I can help you," Jet paled, instantly tensing up, his eyes keeping constant surveillance.

"Jet. For me. Please."

Jet sighed, nodding his reluctant consent.

"Okay. Well, it's about a she-rat who placed a bounty on Cluny here's head. An extremely high bounty. Here, this is the poster I found," Flame whispered hastily, handing Jet the crumpled up paper. After Jet had examined it for scarcely a second, his eyes nearly jumped out of his head.

"Holy Marshank, this is nuts!"

"Do you recognize the name?" Flame pressed, anxious to get to the point. He was trying very hard not to get too distracted by the fact that Cluny was nibbling on his ear and that the rat had changed positions so that he was currently straddling Flame's waist. It was about to drive him MAD.

Jet looked up at the couple, an amused glint in his eye. "You know, Flame, you have two choices. You could either get that rat in bed right now or you could force him to behave.. I hate to scold you, but.."

"The NAME, Jet! Do you recognize it?" Flame half-snarled, half-yelped as Cluny bit down particularly hard on his ear. He didn't make any move to stop Cluny, who's tail was snaking up somewhere it probably shouldn't be.

"Yes, I recognize it," Jet said gravely, all amusement gone from his features. "This Murgra.. Is a witch. Expert in dark things. Poisons, potions, creepy crawlies.. You name it, she's done it. Plus, she is kinda the mate of Ladon. You know, that one guy.. With that one huge army.."

"I don't fear Ladon," Flame growled, fuming at the mention of the name of his old rival. Ladon wasn't immortal. He could be beaten in battle. Also, Flame didn't need reminding of how his old roommate had gone on to form an army while he had settled for the taverns. "It's this Murgra I'm worried about. I suppose she's as sinister and gutless as her mate."

"Sinister? Yes. Gutless.. Neither of them are. I don't know why she wants Cluny, but she will do anything to get him now. Even if it means killing us all." The last words Jet spoke came out as little more than a whisper. Flame shuddered. Great. He would be fighting an enemy with no honor.

"I'd best get out of here, then. I don't want you guys to get caught up in this. Do you have a map to Murgra's residence?"

Jet nodded, reaching over to a nearby dresser and sifting through an unorganized mess of maps that had been thrown haphazardly into one of the drawers. Finally finding the one he was looking for, Jet took the time to brush a few roaches off the map before Flame snatched it away.

"Is there anything else you need?" Jet huffed, looking a little miffed.

"Do you have anything that would fit him?" Flame gestured to Cluny, who hadn't even taken any notice of the two foxes as he happily kissed Flame along his collarbone. Flame caught Jet looking on the scene enviously, and wrapped an arm around Cluny's waist, shifting so as to hide the rat's face from view.

"Yeah, I believe I do. I wasn't always the skinny mini you see before you," Jet goofed, but his eyes were somber. The nimble fox rose from his chair and slipped silently into his bedroom, near the back of the caravan.

"Cluny," Flame growled, even though he didn't put much menace behind it, "You need to be careful what you do around Jet. He has hopeless romantic issues."

Cluny finally stopped kissing him, which was good because Flame had been very tempted to just rip his clothes off and.. He couldn't even bring himself to picture it. Cluny eyed him, speculating.

"Sorry," he breathed, removing his tail from a certain spot in Flame's southern regions. "I just can't believe you're finally mine." Flame groaned, already craving the physical contact.

"You had probably.. Better.. Sit over there.." Flame gasped, though it took immense willpower. Cluny didn't move. Slowly, Flame rose, carrying his mate over to a separate chair. He set him down gingerly, leaning in to kiss Cluny before returning to his own seat.

Rather, planning on returning to his own seat. Soon Flame found himself deepening the kiss, straddling both of Cluny's legs. Cluny pulled Flame towards him roughly, wanting more, and Flame lost a great deal of self-control. He could feel Cluny's paws carding his fur. He practically purred under the touch, a light, happy sound emerging from deep in his throat. However, an exasperated sigh from Jet behind him caused Flame to jump back as if he'd been stricken, brushing lint and fur off his jeans.

"Now who's the animal?" Jet laughed, truly amused this time. The blond fox had never known Flame to lose his cool. Ever. This was new.

Cluny laughed, too, an intoxicating boisterous sound (like he had had one too many drinks at the gypsy bar on wheels). Flame blushed, but quickly regained his composure. Now was not the time for games.

"Did you find anything?" Flame implored, casting a quick glance in Cluny's direction before focusing on Jet.

"Oh, definitely. You'll love this!" Jet tossed Flame the bag of old clothes he held in his paws. Flame took one look at the contents, blushed again, then promptly threw it back.

"Jet, we are trying NOT to attract attention."

"What do you mean? What's wrong with this?" Jet held up a pair of leather pants Flame just KNEW would fit Cluny perfectly, with the leather jacket and white tank to match. "Or this?" Jet asked again, throwing some practically destroyed jeans in Flame's face. If Cluny wore those, everyone would be able to see almost everything. Flame didn't know if he could handle that.

"Yeah, and how about you just write 'HEY, LOOK AT ME!' on his forehead?"

"Hey, there are plenty of beasts out there who will be more scantily clad. And you know you like it." Jet teased, waving a handsome black cape in the air.

"Fine," Flame sighed, exasperated. "I'll trust your judgement, considering you did actually wear these at one point."

"It was cool then!" Jet whined, his face turning pink.

"Right."

"Whatever, man. Just take the freakin' clothes." Jet tossed the bag in the air, spinning around and jumping back on his lounge with a grace only Jet really possessed. He didn't even wait to see if Flame caught the bag. Soon, the fox was fast asleep, probably recovering from his run in with the enraged vixen previously seen cursing him outside his caravan.

"Let's go," Flame commanded, taking Cluny's paw to pull him along faster while simultaneously slinging his sack and Jet's bag over his shoulder. He dragged him through the now dark camp, mentally reprimanding himself for not realizing how much time had passed in Jet's caravan. Foolishness like that could get him killed. Even worse, it could get Cluny killed. Though Flame walked silently with ease, he cringed at each crunch of Cluny's feet behind him. He would have to teach the rat how to walk.

"Where are we going?" Cluny questioned, at least making the effort the whisper. It didn't matter. The sound of his footsteps had probably alread woken up every gypsy worth his bangles in the entire camp.

"This way," Flame answered, tracing his finger along several backroads that lead to the house of Murgra, which it seemed was actually more like a fortress. Flame's day just kept getting better and better.

Cluny's eyes widened. He glanced at Flame in fear. Surely Flame wouldn't turn him in after all they've been through (even though that was really not all that much, it mattered to HIM).. He should have listened to the conversation between the fox and Jet better, instead of nibbling all over the object of his affections. One of his paws reached up and touched the tender spot on his neck where Flame had claimed him, almost completely of it's own accord.

Flame guessed what was running through Cluny's mind. Deep sadness washed over the fox. Cluny still believed he was dangerous.. The rat still didn't trust him. He would have to do something about that. Flame reached out and held Cluny from him by his shoulders.

"I will keep you safe. I promise that," Flame whispered to Cluny, returning the rat's surprised but nevertheless tender gaze. Flame put his arm around Cluny's shoulders, almost cradling the rat to him as he led the way to the home of the witch.

_Mess with me, Ladon, and you might get hurt. Mess with my lover.. Consider it war._


	7. Just Like The Others

**Chapter 7: Just Like The Others**

For perhaps the millionth time Flame turned around to Cluny and put a finger over his lips. Cluny simply sighed. There was no way he could move like his partner through the woods and manage to keep up with Flame's racing speed at the same time. His lover walked as silently as if he were floating, like his feet weren't even touching the ground. Cluny winced as another twig snapped under his boots. After all he had learned about Flame that day, he wouldn't be surprised if the fox suddenly grew wings and flew.

He still couldn't quite realize the force of Flame's affections towards him. He couldn't bring himself to. Whether Cluny liked it or not, he had seen the way the other gypsies eyed his mate, both male and female alike. Flame seemed Casanova incarnate. His strong but flexible body easily navigated through briars and brambles, while Cluny struggled and lagged behind. Ever patient, Flame would wait for Cluny to untangle himself from the various thorns he had somehow gotten wrapped around his legs, only occasionally reminding him to be silent when he was extra loud. Cluny didn't deserve him.

Absently, Cluny wondered why Flame was in such a hurry. Frantic thoughts raced through his mind, but he couldn't come up with a plausible answer. He was ashamed to admit that the idea of Flame deciding to turn him in after all had crossed his mind more than once, but those fears were always pushed back by Flame's promise. So he trudged on, trying his best to trust his guide. Somewhere in the distance, a brook babbled. Cluny licked his lips, hoping Flame would lead them to water soon.

Completely out of the blue, Flame stumbled on the narrow path they were following. Groaning, the fox put a hand to his head, moving off the path and sinking to the ground within a few paces of the trail. Cluny could feel the psychic link between them throb with excruciating pain, but surprisingly enough, the pain never escaped the link to get to Cluny. He swiftly came to the realization that Flame was holding the pain back, refusing to allow his lover to share the burden. The searat rushed over to Flame, panic-stricken. Cluny's heart sank in a matter of a few seconds and his mind clouded with worry. He reached out for Flame, wanting to help him. If he couldn't help him, he could at least hold him.

"Don't touch me!" the fox snarled, showing his teeth and brushing Cluny's paw away roughly. Cluny jumped back, whimpering. "Don't. Touch. Me." Flame said again, pain obvious in his voice. Cluny dared not try to help him again.

Cluny watched, horrified, as Flame was thrown into a series of convulsions. Cluny flinched as Flame's arm was bent at an unnatural angle by some invisible enemy. Bones snapped. Blood spilled. Then, as soon as the fit had began, it was over. Flame lay panting on the grass. Every plant that had touched him was dead.

"It's okay now," Flame breathed in between pants. "Come here."

Cluny obeyed, though a bit hesitantly. What kind of power could kill so many living things? No matter, he trusted Flame. Without any further delay, Cluny went to his mate, lying down on the grass next to him and snuggling into the crook of the fox's arm.

"What just happened to you?" Cluny asked, his paw busy carding Flame's headfur. Worry filled the question even as Cluny breathed Flame in contentedly.

"When you are burdened as I am, there are certain times when somebeast is in so much pain that there is no other option than a Pain Keeper. The most serious of injuries come to me in visions. Often, I will reach out and grab a plant or something to help relieve me of the pain. Sometimes pain can be too much for anybeast to handle, even for a Pain Keeper.. I didn't want you to touch me because I didn't want you to die of the pain." Flame gazed at him through heavy-lidded eyes, shining a beautiful crimson even though weariness was plain on the fox's face. Flame needed rest.

"We'll set up camp here," Cluny ordered, as he was accustomed to doing. Flame raised an eyebrow, but he was too tired to suggest otherwise. Cluny simply sat there for a minute, feeling Flame's gaze boring into him. Eventually, it dawned on Cluny that he would have to set up camp himself (which he most certainly was NOT accustomed to doing). Giving Flame a quick kiss on the forehead and then awkwardly pulling away, Cluny found himself with the makings of a tent in his paws and no idea how to put it together.

Flame watched as Cluny fumbled with the tent, quite amused. A powerful warlord didn't know how to pitch a tent..? The thought!

Cluny eventually succeeded in getting the tent together, whether by intelligence or by luck, Flame didn't know. After that particular episode, Flame was feeling much more energized. He stretched, letting out a yawn before standing and ghost-walking (fox code for walking very very silently) over to where Cluny stood, with his back to Flame.

_Very unwise choice.._

"Boo," Flame whispered in the rat's ear, causing Cluny to jump ten feet in the air. Flame laughed hysterically, patting Cluny's shoulder to let the rat know he was alright. Cluny turned sharply, facing his partner. The rat's hot breath rushed over Flame as Cluny regarded him accusingly. Flame could do nothing but grin, his expression plastered with feigned innocence.

"You just couldn't resist, could you?" Cluny growled, though he couldn't help cracking a smile at Flame's antics. The fox touseled his fur playfully before turning to inspect the tent. He paced the camp several times before nodding his assent, though his cool and calculating eyes still examined the relatively flimsy shelter for some small flaw that he just couldn't seem to find.

Cluny noticed, as he had been observing the fox as keenly as Flame had been observing the tent. "What? Nothing wrong with it?" Cluny mocked, placing his paws on his hips and pretending to be offended. Flame glanced up in surprise, guilt written all over his face.

"I'm sorry, Cluny, I-"

He never had time to finish his sentence, because at that precise moment Cluny decided it would be a bright idea to tackle him. Flame landed on prickly grass under the huge rat, his mouth locked in a passionate kiss. Slowly closing his eyes, Flame gradually let himself go, allowed the bond to grow to full strength. He had been holding back from Cluny; he couldn't bring himself to allow another to share something so personal and intimate with him. Despite this, he couldn't deny that things felt right when Cluny was around. Maybe this rat would be different than all the rest..

Flame was aware of Cluny's paws moving steadily lower, but the fact that Cluny was not all that different after all only registered when Flame felt his pants being unzipped. With a sickening twist of his stomach, the fox realized what Cluny wanted. The exact same thing all the others had wanted.. To use him then leave him to deal with the mess. Flame's eyes glazed over, his entire being becoming numb. As if on cue, his heart proceeded to break into a million pieces.

Flame pushed Cluny away in disgust, not even looking at the rat as he zipped up his pants and stalked away towards the tent. His muscles quivered in anger, and he wanted to break something. For a fleeting moment he considered breaking Cluny into as many pieces as humanly possible, but dismissed the idea. Why kill the rat when he could make money off of him?

Instead, he punched a nearby tree. The giant oak shuddered as his paw went through a few layers of wood and bark. Flame bit back a gasp as splinters consumed his paw in fire. Most of the cuts were shallow, anyways. There was no need for tears over it.. But somehow, Flame's eyes were brimming with them anyhow.

"Flame! What are you doing?" Cluny cried out, shock and worry evident in his voice, not to mention in the stupid link Flame had been hopeful enough to have allowed to form.

He had been so _naive_. How could he have allowed this to happen? Why did he have to keep letting the very ones who sought to destroy him get under his skin? Flame turned his back toward Cluny, mercilessly pulling a splinter out of his stinging paw. The pain distracted him for only a moment, but it couldn't last. He yanked out another splinter, this time tearing more skin as he did so.

"Flame.." Cluny murmured soothingly, right in his ear now. Flame cringed as Cluny ran his paws over his shoulders, and felt Cluny wince, too. "What did I do?"

Cluny began rubbing his shoulders in a wonderful circular motion, but Flame wasn't going to fall for it. He stiffened under the touch, forcing emotions away.

"You're just like the rest," Flame snarled, breaking away from Cluny's poisonous touch. Even now, when he knew the rat was no good, Cluny still gave Flame chills.

"The rest?"

"Yes! I know what you want! They all wanted it! Some of them even got it," Flame spat, holding up his paw to punch another tree. Just as he was about to swing, Cluny caught hold of his wrist. The fox fought against Cluny's grip, but only half-heartedly. Something cracked inside Flame's spirit. He broke down and sobbed, leaning against Cluny for support.

"Come and sit down," Cluny whispered, leading Flame over to an open space near the tent. Flame didn't fight Cluny and followed obediently. Again, he was pushed down on the prickly grass, though not as roughly as before. Flame whimpered as Cluny carefully kissed him, going as slowly as he could muster and pulling away before Flame really wanted to stop.

"I won't do anything you aren't ready for. This is going to be all your decision, love," Cluny murmured in his ear, the rat's hot breath rushing down his neck. Already, Cluny was straddling him again. Flame wondered briefly how he had wound up in this position, but soon forgot all about it when Cluny kissed him again.

Mixed emotions surged through Flame as he gazed up at Cluny, catching sight of the place he had marked the rat earlier. He rationalized that of course Cluny wanted him, just as he wanted the rat in return. Here his chosen mate was, promising not to go any farther than he wanted to. How could he have doubted Cluny's love for him, for even one second?

Flame rolled over, pinning Cluny beneath him. Cluny was obviously caught off guard, looking up at Flame in surprise. Flame bent down to kiss Cluny reassuringly before ripping off his shirt. Flame winced as his paw stung, a few of the splinters digging in deeper. Cluny noticed, reaching out to gently push Flame off of him.

"You're hurt," Cluny said, his brow furrowing. He stood and walked over to where Flame's sack of supplies lay forgotten on the ground. He reached into the sack and pulled out some healing salve with bandages.

Flame looked on in complete and utter astonishment as Cluny expertly applied the salve to his paw, removing splinters as he went. The former warlord wrapped Flame's paw in bandages like a glove, giving the fox a full range of motion yet full protection at the same time. Flame gazed at his paw in wonder, wiggling all his digits in turn.

"How..?" Flame asked, still marvelling at Cluny's handiwork.

"Don't ask," Cluny replied darkly, running his paws up and down Flames arms. Flame simply grunted, tackling the now shirtless Cluny on his back. Cluny squirmed beneath his thighs, but Flame held him firmly in place. Teasingly, Flame ran his paws slowly over Cluny's chest and stomach, twisting and pulling his fur. Cluny reached out to do the same, but was intercepted by Flame pinning his arms above his head.

Flame captured Cluny's mouth in his, determined all that would come between them was an intense make-out session. Nothing more. He couldn't take Cluny, not yet. Not while Ladon and Murgra remained alive. Their bid on the Scourge's head haunted him. The feeling was almost like.. Cluny wasn't completely his. He had already been spoken for, so to speak.

With shaking fingers, Flame released Cluny's paws and focused on tracing his jawline. The caress seemed so sweet and innocent, Flame couldn't believe he was still capable of doing such a thing. All of his bar experiences screamed at him at once, instructing him to change his mind. He held firm.

"Please," Cluny begged, taking one of Flames paws and dragging it slowly down his body. "I need you."

Flame looked down upon Cluny, knowing that he never should have let it get this far. Now he would have to force himself to walk away. He didn't know if he could resist if Cluny begged him one more time.

"I'm sorry, I can't. I'm sorry.." Flame whispered, kissing Cluny for one last time before pushing himself off, heading towards the tent. Cluny stared after him as he crashed into the sleeping bag that lay on his side of the tent, wondering what the heck he was doing.


	8. My Fingers Through Your Hair

**Chapter 8: My Fingers Through Your Hair**

Cluny awoke to the startling sight of his fingers, all tangled up in the crimson mess that was his lover's fur. Literally, tangled up. As in, he couldn't get them out.

Somehow, Cluny had fallen asleep while stroking Flame's hair. Now, he had woken to find he wasn't able to move his paw. A seemingly endless knot of snags and tangles interlaced his fingers, soft ginger curls glowed angelically in the morning light even though they restrained him so brutally.

Tentatively, Cluny gave his paw a tug. Flame moaned in his sleep, but otherwise wasn't disturbed. Instead of giving way, the tangles seemed to grow stronger and tighter against Cluny's trapped fingers. Weakly, so as not to wake Flame, Cluny tugged again. Still the tangles held him.

Cluny growled in frustration, giving his paw a mighty tug that allowed him to rip his paw from Flame's fur but also succeeded in sending him tumbling backwards, knocking over their carefully constructed tent. Not to mention, it did wake Flame up.. Maybe a little painfully.

Okay, maybe REALLY painfully.

"OW! Cluny, what in the world..? What are you trying to do, make sure I go bald before you do?"

"No, I didn't mean to! I fell asleep with my paw in your fur and.. It's hard to explain."

"Well, note to self then: Do not, under any circumstances, fall asleep touching my head. Got it?"

"Yeah."

Flame finally succeeded in pulling himself from the remains of the tent, then proceeded to stalk off into the forest, still mumbling something about how other couples never seemed to have these problems. He slung his sack over his shoulder, uttering curses under his breath and rubbing the back of his head tenderly.

Cluny wondered if he was really mad or not. Sometimes, it was hard to tell with Flame. The thought made him shudder, but all wariness disappeared immediately as Flame came back into view. The fox was gorgeous. He had obviously taken a dip in the nearby brook, his fur was soaking wet. He had changed into a pair of extremely tight-fitting black leather pants, showing off his skinny legs. The fox wore no shirt, seemingly immune to the morning chill. Cluny let his gaze run over Flame's body slowly, appreciating. Flame raised an amused eyebrow, then smirked, purposely brushing up against Cluny as he walked by.

Cluny swore, resisting the urge to gawk at Flame's rear end as the fox bent over seductively to gather the remains of the tent. _Two can play at that game.._ Cluny thought mischeviously, snatching up the bag that Jet had given him and striding towards the brook. He took his time bathing, allowing the water to rush over his body. The brook itself was pleasantly cold, refreshing Cluny like only a good bath could. Reluctantly, he rose from the river, reaching for Jet's bag. After some initial shock, he began to rifle through some of the ridiculous articles contained within.

Finally, he decided on a striking pair of black pirate's trousers and a white, puffy-sleeved shirt that didn't seem too out there for strolling through the woods. Cluny turned to admire himself in the brook. Water still dripped from his fur, and he looked positively devilish. Throwing his head back, Cluny cackled like he never had before, even during his days as a warlord. Flame was going to _love _this!

"Hey, Cluny, what's taking you so long?" Flame called, pushing his way through some bushes. Upon catching sight of Cluny, Flame's jaw dropped. The fox stood frozen, his eyes scanning over his lover's body as if they were scanning over a delicious steak. Absently, Flame licked his lips. Yeah, delicious was a pretty good comparison.

"Oh, nothing," Cluny sneered, noticing Flame's reaction. "I'm ready, what about you?"

Flame smiled sweetly, pretending to be too innocent to pick up the double meaning. Inwardly, his stomach was in turmoil and his heart was racing, but he pushed those vulgar wants aside. He had to keep his cool.

"Come on," he growled, "We've a long trek ahead of us."

Flame stalked off, leaving Cluny wondering what exactly he had done wrong. Perhaps he had taken it too far? The rat had yet to figure out a way to persuade the fox into anything. The most they had ever done was kiss. Why would Flame hold back?

Cluny snorted in frustration, snatching up Jet's bag and proceeding to follow the fox from the brook. Flame had been swift; everything from camp was already packed. After looking over their map for a few moments and glancing up to make sure Cluny was complying, Flame set out from camp in the direction of Murgra and Ladon's stronghold. He walked swiftly, so Cluny could barely keep up, and the pace proved maddening. At times all Cluny could see of Flame was a patch of red fur through the dead autumn leaves.

Flame obviously didn't seem to want to talk to him. But why? Why did he have to love the ONLY dramatic beast in all of Mossflower? Cluny sighed. He'd just have to figure it out and apologize somewhere down the road.

The silent march continued for several hours; Flame led the way while Cluny struggled behind. Sweat drenched both males, droplets dripped from their fur. It wasn't long before Flame decided it was time for a break.

"Care to explain any of this?" Cluny snarled angrily as the pair trudged over to a nearby maple. Flame didn't reply, instead finding himself a shady patch of grass to stretch out on.

"Oh, now the silent treatment?"

No response.

"Listen, whatever I did, I'm sorry!" Cluny pleaded, settling down on the grass next to Flame. His somber expression quickly morphed into an impish grin. "But you know you can't ignore me forever.."

"You're right," Flame growled throatily, rolling over and pinning an astonished Cluny beneath him. Mercilessly, he bit down on the rat's neck, leaving his unique mark upon this creature that was his. The fox straddled Cluny's stomach, holding the whimpering rat down while he bit again and again. The act felt so animalistic, Flame couldn't believe what he was doing. He was hungry. Hungry for Cluny. Hungry for spoken words between them. Hungry for the body he just couldn't bring himself to take.

"W-What is this about?" Cluny stammered, unable to form a coherent thought, much less an entire sentence. Flame's paws were all over him, everywhere except where he wanted them to be. But he knew better than to push the fox. The moments when Flame allowed himself to be out of control were few and far between.. Cluny didn't want to mess this up.

"I want you," Flame replied gruffly, breathing into Cluny's ear. The former warlord went rigid, and his already throbbing erection become almost unbearable. Cluny's face flushed with shame. Surely Flame could feel him from his current position..

Flame abruptly sat up, looking down on his once-upon-a-time captive. Cluny's hardness was very tangible through their layers of clothes.. It sent shivers running down the fox's spine as his own manhood hardened, coming into contact with Cluny's stomach. The two males gazed at each other, their eyes glazed over by lust. No matter how much he didn't want it to be this way, Flame knew what was about to happen could not be stopped by anything or anybody. His heart swelled with joy as he rationalized through his misgivings deep in his mind.

Ladon and Murgra didn't REALLY have a bid on Cluny. How could they? He didn't even know them. For the millionth time in his life, Flame had been indescribably foolish. Cluny was his and his alone. The marks that adorned the rat's neck were proof of that. After this, neither of them would ever lie with another.. He hoped.

"Please," Cluny murmured, taking Flame's paw and running it down his body in a very familiar fashion. Flame didn't stop him. Cluny raised an eyebrow, massaging his lower stomach for awhile with Flame's paw before continuing even lower. He threw back his head and moaned with the pleasure of the sensation as he helped Flame touch him.. He couldn't believe they weren't undressed yet.

Flame couldn't take the foreplay any longer. He wanted Cluny, and he wanted him NOW. Grunting, he proceeded to rip the rest of Cluny's clothes off verociously, Cluny working just as verociously on his own garments. The fox leaned forward, kissing Cluny passionately before dragging the rat into the brush, making love to him like he had never made love before.

"Only you," Flame growled, moaned, screamed, whispered, over and over, over and over again. "Only you..."


End file.
